A Day in the Life of a Heart Surgeon

A Day In The Life Of A Heart Surgeon

Jaanu’s Reactions

I recently watched a video of a Day in the Life of Dr. Paul Massimiano, a cardiac surgeon based in Maryland. It’s a YouTube clip, less than 5 minutes long, which distills an average day in the life of an experienced attending physician. Already, what’s not to love? Combine my passion for science with my endless curiosity about other people’s lives and stories – boom! You’ve got this video.

 I’ve got to admit I was a bit startled that he walked into work in the pitch-darkness. Dr. Massimiano arrived at the hospital at 6 AM, in time to pre-round on patients and check in on the surgery he will shortly be performing. He’s a cheerful person and that already is a wonderful thing. It’s quite the gift to be in a career you enjoy, and Dr. Massimiano clearly loves his job.

 I’m struck by something he says before entering his patient’s room. “The patient is nervous about open heart surgery- understandable. But I always tell them, the important thing is, I’m not nervous.”

I can understand now why it’s so important that doctors get a great deal of practice as residents. When, finally, comes the day that a real human life is in a doctor’s hands, they’ve had years of practice. “If you do something 10,000 times, you get the sequence in your mind,” he says. Practice really makes perfect, it seems, even when it comes to heart surgery. ❤️